Sermon Review XV Sermon on the Mount CD9 Marketplace Evangelism

World = kosmos = social order/arrangement.It does not refer to physical territory.Marketplace consists of business, education, government, arts and media.

Every time we change the marketplace, we change the nation.Guatemala and Armenia have plenty Christians in the society. Yet, they are weak and poor. It could be that the churches are not impacting the marketplace.Influence of Christians should go beyond the four walls of the church.Church should engage the city halls, bringing the kingdom of God in their midst.

When Lord Jesus still walked on earth, He was more like a builder than carpenter.He was a skillful craftsmen. He was not professional preacher or rabbi to begin with.Hence, the society did not believe Him in the beginning.He used a lot of marketplace terms in His teaching, unlike the rabbi in that period. 50% of all His parables have to do with money.He even did most of the miracles in the marketplace.In fact, other apostles and disciples were marketplace people.

Acts 18-19Apostle Paul preached to the Gentiles. Justus, a businessman in marketplace, received Paul.As a result, church in Corinth started.However, the persecution began too. Very often persecution comes from fellow Christians.Yet, Apostle Paul was supported by marketplace disciples.In Ephesus, Apostle Paul reached out to the marketplace disciples in the school of Tyrannus as the religious establishment rejected him.Eventually, when the persecution came, the leaders of the marketplace protected him.

Why did they like Apostle Paul so much?Because he was an asset to the society. Such is the role of salt and light in the world.Acts 20:33 Apostle Paul was a businessman blessing others. He was self reliant.Just like Apostle Paul, it is possible to excel in both business and ministry.

God wants us to excel, to become wealthy to feed ourselves and feed others.